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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27926788">Aftermath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crypticKC/pseuds/crypticKC'>crypticKC</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft - Fandom, l'manberg - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dream is a bitch, Exiled Tommyinnit, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Minecraft, Minecraft but its kind of realistic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, References to Depression, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), no respawn, possible Dream redemption arc, why does everyone else have their yt names and real names except for bad, yet......</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:54:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27926788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crypticKC/pseuds/crypticKC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One day, the call of lava is too strong for Tommy to ignore. He jumps.<br/>He survives. <br/>Now Tommy and Dream have to deal with the aftermath.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clay | Dream &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Darryl Noveschosch &amp; TommyInnit, No Romantic Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1763</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW: Depression, Suicide Attempts, Implied Self Harm (like, you'll have to squint), and Implied Panic Attacks</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dream has fun tormenting Tommy. Watching him scramble for supplies, occasionally demanding his stuff and burning it right in front of him. He gets <em> so </em> upset, and Dream feels unbelievably satisfied by it. The little shit has caused his world so many fucking problems, it feels so good to cause him some right back. It feels like justice, like it was so earned.</p><p>Dream heads over to Tommy, and when Tommy first spies him in the distance, he goes straight into Logstedshire. <em> Come on, man, </em> Dream mentally complains, <em> what's that gonna do? </em> Hiding only prolongs the inevitable, but if that was Tommy's new play, fine by him. He'd find him.</p><p>He doesn't actually need to, he walks in to find Tommy armourless, standing next to a chest he placed in the middle of the room.</p><p>"There." He says, voice sounding hoarse.</p><p>"Wh- there what?" Dream counters, as he opens the chest. Half damaged armour, some tools, cooked chicken, it's a random assortment. </p><p>"My stuff." </p><p>Dream looks at him, confused. </p><p>"I'm not gonna waste your time, just burn it." Dream laughs.</p><p>"Why <em> thank </em>you Tommy, I had no idea you could be so thoughtful!" He purrs sadistically, one bucket of lava already in hand. Seconds later and it's gone, Tommy watching with a blank expression as it burns.</p><p>"Surely you don't think I'm that dumb, though? Where's your real stuff?"</p><p>Tommy leans back on the wood wall and slides down until he's sitting. </p><p>"You were only here a few days ago, Dream. That was all. Search, though, if you'd like." </p><p>Dream doesn't trust this bit Tommy's doing. He hesitantly searches a few barrels, and finds nothing. He decides against looking in depth though, saying</p><p>"Eh, I don't really care what you have. I'll find it sooner or later."</p><p>Tommy just nods. Dream shifts awkwardly, why was he… acting like this. He seems all tired, that's not like him. He tries to prompt him again. </p><p>"Uh, so, what're we doing today Tommy?"</p><p>"Nothing, I guess. There's no point in working when you're here. You won't let me have anything." Tommy didn't mention that there really was no purpose of working at <em> any </em>time, Dream or no Dream. Because the man would just come back. Doesn't matter if he worked all day and night to find resources, because they would always burn. Perhaps that's why he's been spending most of his time in bed. No point in wasting his already dwindling energy.</p><p>Dream… doesn't react to the statement at first. He's not sure how. Tommy turns tired eyes at him,</p><p>"Are you going to force me?"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Are you going to force me?" He repeats, "To work? I'm not going to while you're here, Big Man. Like I said, no point. But if you're going to force me for your entertainment or something, just tell me now." </p><p>There's no teasing in his tone, Dream notices with a strange sick feeling in his stomach. It's like he… just genuinely wants to know the answer. <em> Of course </em> Dream's not going to do that! (He- well- maybe he <em> would </em> have, in other circumstances, but certainly not <em> now </em>.)</p><p>"I- no." He says, some concern leaking through in his voice. This behavior was too weird. But he then quickly corrects it, pulling back his teasing tone, "You're so boring today, Tommy."</p><p>"Okay, well, if that's it, I'm going to lay down." Tommy says, completely ignoring the bait. He leaves Dream without another word.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Dream returns, as he always did. And as he always did, he picked a bad time. Tommy felt his energetic hands twitching beyond his control that morning, and he knew that today he would have to move his body around. It's so strange, the dichotomy of it. Sometimes he wakes and feels like Atlas, with the whole entire sky pressing down on him. Those days, he was far too weak to move, beyond <em> maybe </em>the bare essentials of staying alive. Some days, though, he didn't have that either. He didn't eat those days. </p><p>Some days, he wakes with his mind racing a thousand meters a minute, and he knows he has to move his body, has to <em> feel </em>something in his hands, or else… his mind went too fast for him to catch up. </p><p>He only let that happen once. He spent that day crying until he passed out again, he thinks. He… can't remember all of it, but he woke up with bleeding knuckles. </p><p>So, for no other purpose than to quiet his stupid head, Tommy chopped trees. He always chopped way more than he needed, but it was relaxing, repetitive, and it didn't run the risk of a stray creeper explosion like mining did. He didn't want to imagine his reaction if he heard the explosion of a creeper. </p><p>Dream surprises him mid swing, and honestly almost ends up with an axe to the face when Tommy jumps. </p><p>"What's up Tommy!" Dream cries happily, excited to get started. It'd been a few days, surely he'd gotten some sleep or fixed whatever else had been making him act so odd. Tommy just stiffens at his name, still trying to slow his breathing from the scare.</p><p>"How're you doing, bud, how's exile!" He asks.</p><p>"S-same as usual, Dream." He says.</p><p>"And… what've you got there?" He asks, eyes sparkling as he eyes the axe, the piles of logs. Tommy does not answer, he just sighs, and walks out into the field. </p><p>Finally, some resistance!</p><p>"Hey, hey! <em> Tommy!</em>" Dream happily follows him, and punches him as he walks. Tommy's stride stumbles slightly and he whimpers in pain, but continues.</p><p>"Don't walk away from me To-" Dream's sentence studders to a halt as he sees where Tommy led him.</p><p>"What… what is this?"</p><p>"A lava pool." He replies. </p><p>"I- yeah I'm not blind. <em> Why </em> did you build a lava pool?"</p><p>Tommy says nothing, just stares grimly into the swirling red. <em> Why did he build a lava pool</em>, the guy asks. Pft. Once Tommy had decided there was no point in working for anything anymore, it had only made sense. It was small, but it got the job done. Every night, if he had anything, he threw it in here, destroying it himself, before Dream could. It made him feel a very strange mix of feelings, but one thing he knew, if Tommy destroyed his things himself, its like it was <em> his </em>choice. He unbuckles the clasps of his armour, and throws them in. Then, his whole bag, carrying dozens of logs, sticks, saplings. </p><p>"Can-" His voice breaks, he coughs once to correct it. "Can I keep the apples?" </p><p>It's not like food was scarce, but he didn't have a farm, and killing animals often requires energy he no longer had.</p><p>The question, once again, catches Dream off guard.</p><p>"Wha- why?"</p><p>Tommy's not going to bother to press it, he'd find food elsewhere. Probably. The only answer Dream's question gets is a defeated stare, and the apples burn with a hiss.</p><p>"Tommy, you can <em> not </em> think I'm going to fall for this ruse twice." Dream hears the <em> shink </em> of metal as he unsheathes his sword. </p><p>"<em>Show me where the rest of your stuff is</em>."</p><p>Tommy doesn't move initially, he just looks hopelessly up at the sky. Dream makes a threatening step toward him, and Tommy breaks his stillness and heads toward Logstedshire. Once there, hes digging through barrells, saying,</p><p>"I… burnt the rest myself. The, uh, last thing is..." He trails off as he continues searching.</p><p><em>Wait- was he serious?</em> Dream asks himself, bewildered, <em>he</em><em> burnt his own stuff? Why??</em></p><p>Then, Tommy pulls out a red disc… and any concern at this behavior biting at the edge of Dream's mind are blinded by the pure, sadistic <em> joy </em> the sight of that brings him. Dream slowly smiles, before snatching it away. </p><p>"Oh, Tommy, I am going to <em> enjoy </em>this." </p><p>They return to the lava pool, Tommy dragging his feet as he walks. He knows Dream's going to make him watch, no point in not following the guy. <em>It doesn't matter </em> , he tries to tell himself, <em> it was going to happen anyway. It was inevitable. I'm just getting it over with. </em></p><p>Somehow, thinking this does not make him feel better. </p><p>He watches it sink into lava, distorting and bending as it does. Tommy simply sinks to his knees. He absolutely does not hear Dreams laugh echo in his mind, <em>he doesn't he doesn't he doesn't.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Tommy does not move from his spot near the lava for a very long time, even after Dream left. His stomach snarls and complains to him, but he pushes it away. He just watches the swirling magna, entranced. Something about watching the disc burn in it made him look at it completely differently. He had officially given up <em> everything </em> to this lava. Not to Dream, no, somehow he finds he'd always known he was giving it all up for <em> this</em>. All his possessions, prized or not, lived on in the form of ash in this two by two hole.</p><p>As night falls, mobs come out and try to kill him, but he dodges most of them so that they fall into lava. He then watches with renewed interest as they burn, too. They look unhappy to be there? The part of Tommy that understands why they would be is absent from his thoughts, he just thinks how happy they must be, they're reunited with his things. It looks very warm down there, too. He's been so cold recently. Wilbur would see that as a sign of a fever, but he knows the truth. He hasn't been warm since he was exiled. Oh, it was so nice to be able to think about it. Tommy usually tried to lock those thoughts behind a bedrock wall, but he found out that the closer he was to the lava, the less they stung him. The lava kept him safe. He allowed himself to experience them, now. All he missed about L'manberg, his friends, <em> Tubbo.</em> </p><p>Thinking about Tubbo was always the one that hurt most, the one memory that literally stole the air from his lungs. But by the comfort of the lava, Tommy brought up memories of his laughter, their dumb jokes, the good times. Before… </p><p>Tommy's growling stomach eventually forces him to break from the pool, but he doesn't want to be gone long. How didn't he notice this before? It was fucking <em> freezing </em> here. The only place he was warm was the lava, the only place he didn't have to worry about one misplaced thought ruining his day was the lava, the only time he didn't have to feel the suffocating weight of his own emptiness was right here, with his lava, finding patterns in it's swirling molten rock, reaching his hand out just to <em> almost </em> touch it. How nice would it be? To be surrounded by the lava's warmth fully, to be reunited with everything he'd lost, to be <em> free. </em></p><p>"Tommy?"</p><p>Strange. The things he saw in the lava didn't usually speak to him. </p><p>"Tommy, what are you- this isn't fucking funny."</p><p>Had he told a joke? Hm, whatever it was, guess it must not have landed.</p><p>"Tommy- GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THAT LAVA!"</p><p>The scream, finally, caused him to break his eye contact with the pool, and a bit of reality crashes down with it as he does. Dream was here, looking at him in a panic. After the amusement of burning that disc faded, Dream was reminded of the unnerving details of that visit. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease until he checked for himself, made sure... </p><p>For the first time in so long, Tommy feels something. His lava gives him his spark back. He feels <em> rage.</em></p><p>"Leave me alone, Dream." He warns. </p><p>"Don't you see? <em> I don't have anything!</em>" Tommy cried, hysterical laughter seeming to rise in him as he spoke. His body shakes with it, Dream watches, panicked, as he tilts back and forth from the edge of the pool.</p><p>"I HAVE NOTHING NOW! So why don't you for ONCE. LEAVE ME ALONE!" He yells.</p><p>"Tommy, come on man, don't do this. Just back away, okay? I- I'm sorry, Tommy, you-"</p><p>"HE'S SORRY?!" Tommy asks. He laughs again, this time so loud it spooks some animals across the field. Dream watches in horror as it devolves into sobs.</p><p>"HE'S SORRY! HE'S SORRY, HE'S <em> SORRY!</em>"</p><p>Tommy lets one more wave of agony wrack his body, the tears hiss in the lava below. Why is he cold again? <em> Why is it cold? </em></p><p>"<em>Liar.</em>" He says, letting the full extent of his bitterness leak into his tone. Dream rushes forward to grab him, but Tommy lets his body go limp, his decision made before he even had the time to realise he made it,  he falls down into the boiling rock. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Haha sad Tommy go brrr<br/>This was something I just had to whip out after watching That stream. If people want me to add a finishing chapter to this I can though!</p><p>(and if your from one of my other fics, I promise im working on them 🥺 Ive recently been sick though, so im sorry if updates are slow &lt;3 &lt;3)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>chapter cw: Swearing, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of Self Harm</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy expected-</p><p>well, okay, honestly he didn't know what he expected. He had hardly even known what he was doing. But still, he thought he knew what death would feel like. Pain, a lot of it, then <em> finally</em>, peace. </p><p>He felt the pain. He felt the lava singe his body, before things went black. He didn't understand why he <em> still </em>felt like the lava was burning him. Was this normal? Wilbur never complained about an aching chest wound, right? So why was Tommy still burning? Or… could it be possible he was being punished in his afterlife?</p><p>SURELY not. Even the foulest of demons would agree, he had already suffered enough during life, it <em> so </em> wasn't fair to punish him in death. He hoped. There had to be some justice <em> somewhere</em>, and if not the world, then why not in death?</p><p>He began to sense things around him other than the burning, but it was difficult. A good portion of his focus was, understandably, taken over by the pain, but with a bit of effort… he could listen. </p><p>He heard lots of voices, all of them sounding different kinds of upset. One's voice shook as they spoke through tears, another was screaming in rage. </p><p>That's not good, why would those people be upset? He tried to remember, to make sense of it, he really did, but his body hurt a lot, he came up empty.</p><p>He was jostled suddenly, and the fresh wave of agony caused his unseeing eyes to flutter open, and him to <em> scream</em>. </p><p>His voice- was that his?- sounded rough even to him, and even though he felt his eyes open, he still couldn't make out much. Those were all his senses provided to him before it all went black again, this time for a long, long while. </p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>When Dream lays Tommy down on the bed, he screams, the first time he'd moved at all in the minutes it took him to rush back to L'manberg. The sound cut Dream so deeply he would have preferred to be struck down by a sword. But then immediately after, for better or worse, Tommy goes limp again. Seemingly every citizen of L'manberg was crowded in this room, some, like Bad and Ranboo, were working silently on Tommy. Bad's hands flying expertly from bandages to potions and whatever other tools Dream couldn't recognize, and Ranboo wordlessly helping, handing him things before he needed to ask. Dream did not question that, he didn’t have the mental energy to, he just watches. Fundy and Quackity were staying out of their way, both keeping a hold on Nikki as she cried. Actually no, it wasn’t just her, most everyone was crying. </p><p>Then Tubbo arrived, making everyone flinch as he kicked open the door. He doesn't register it though, barely seems to notice anything but <em> Dream.</em> He beelines straight towards him, and- </p><p>He punches Dream in the face, full force by the amount his neck snapped back in recoil. Dream hardly felt it, but the action of it spoke louder than words ever could have. Tubbo grabs him by his shirt, and shouts,</p><p>"WHAT DID YOU DO? <em> WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM? </em>" </p><p>Tubbo begins to slam his fists into Dream's chestplate, another sensation he registers but doesn't feel. He makes absolutely no move to stop him.</p><p>"WHAT DID YOU DO YOU PIECE OF SHIT! TELL ME! YOU- YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND, MY TOMMY, TOmmy…" His voice cracks and breaks at the end, and he devolves into tears. Dream still felt like he was in some kind of nightmare, like this couldn't be real, but he answers through the fog.</p><p>"I- he- <em> jumped </em>. I… I grabbed him. Before. Before he could-"</p><p>Tubbo releases his shirt and turns away before Dream could see the look of horrified understanding taking over his face. <em> Tommy jumped? </em></p><p>"It's my fault. I- I pushed him to it. I should have- should have seen it sooner. I… I should have…" Dream trails off, but he didn't need to finish for everyone in the room to understand. After all, they all shared the same guilt, to varying extents. The same guilt that curses people for years to come when a loved one takes their own life. <em> I should have visited, I shouldn't have been so harsh, I should have </em> seen <em> this coming! </em> Dream was familiar with the concept, but the reality of the feeling seemed to be slowly carving a hole in his chest. Each one of Tubbo's sobs that break through Dream’s shocked stupor act as a swing of an axe into him. He can’t even do anything as he’s hollowed out. </p><p> </p><p>No one wants to speak to Dream anymore, and it's blatant. They glare at him everywhere he goes, and he feels their accusations burn into the back of his neck when they do. </p><p>
  <em> He was too cruel!  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tommy was just a kid. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> This is all your fault! </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You are a monster…  </em>
</p><p>Dream is used to accusations. When you have power, people often try to spin narratives about you, paint you in a light that fits their own view of the world. Usually accusations irritate him, but he does not mind these ones, because this time, they were correct. </p><p>He feels the weight of one piece of knowledge especially, the simple fact that if Tommy didn't wake up, there would be Hell to pay, and Dream would be the one paying it. </p><p>No one had ever actually spoken the words to him, they didn't need to. He found that out when he was waiting outside Tommy's room. Hardly anyone was allowed in now, but very suddenly, he heard Bad exclaim,</p><p>"Losing him- <em> LOSING HIM. GIVE ME THAT! GET THE-</em>" </p><p>A hand shoves Tubbo out of the room as they begin to work, their yells continuing, but they fade away when he gets a look at Tubbo. He looked horrible, but that wasn't what caught his attention, Tubbo was looking at him <em> venomously. </em> It looked so out of place on his face that it almost freaked Dream out. His hands shook, like they were twitching for a sword he didn't have, and Dream knew then, without either of them having to speak. If Tommy died, Dream would too, or suffer a fate much worse than it. (Dream refuses to admit to himself the fact that he would probably let it happen. He does value justice, after all.)</p><p> </p><p>------------</p><p> </p><p>The blackness Tommy swam in was confusing. No matter what he did, he just couldn't make sense of anything. When he tried to swim up to the surface, he found out that he got some clarity back, some memories. Tubbo and himself listening to discs, great black and yellow walls, a wooden path. But the surface of the darkness also came with pain, <em> so goddamn much of it</em>. Not only did his body burn, but the memories he found weren't always pleasant either. A traitor, a banishment, so, so much betrayal it's a surprise Tommy could even trust that the sky was blue. Once, he got the faintest sense that at one low point, he thought the sky was red, orange, swirling heat, but he doesn't understand why.</p><p>You’d think Tommy would learn to avoid the surface. After all, the lower down into the blackness Tommy went, the number things got, the burning subsides. But it also meant the less he remembered, and Tommy wants to remember. He thinks so at least. So, he tries to find some kind of a balance between the pain he can take and the memories he desperately wanted.</p><p>He has ample time to figure out a method to this madness, as time didn’t appear to be real. That, or it just went really fucking slow. Same shit. So, it’s just him, thrashing in the water indefinitely, trying to unlock some memories of who he was, of what was happening to him.</p><p> </p><p>Once, because there was no true before or after, he was going about his strategies like normal, kicking his feet hard and fighting and <em> fighting </em> , when he realises something. He’s getting <em> really close </em>to the top, almost like it would only take one more ounce of pressure for him to break the surface tension, to get out of the water… He’s excited, he has no clue what will happen, but at least it would be different! Maybe give him more information about-</p><p>A memory hits him, much more vividly than any one before. It’s not even specific, it’s just… a guy, dressed in green, with a mask. But somehow, the sight of him drains all the energy from Tommy’s body, he stops moving. He sinks.</p><p>The black water does it’s weird work, everything fades away. He fades away. He feels himself forget, he starts to slip… </p><p> </p><p>He feels something. He doesn’t move to stop it or assess what it is, he just can’t be bothered, but it keeps a constant pressure on his back, supporting him. He stopped sinking. Somehow, breaking through the numbing effect of the darkness, it manages to feel comforting. Tommy grips that feeling and refuses to let it go.</p><p> </p><p>The water changes. Tommy doesn’t notice at first, but it is changing. Perhaps he was wrong about the no time thing? It looks… greyer, if that was even possible. The darkness used to be so complete, kind of like a black hole, no light could escape. But now Tommy notices that that was no longer the case. It was lightening, and with it, it was somehow less suffocating too. Tommy has no clue why, but he appreciates the slight reprieve. Perhaps it’s why eventually, for the first time since he saw the masked man, Tommy decides to swim. He almost immediately feels exhausted, but he thinks it’s coming from him this time, not the water, the water had all but stopped it’s fight to pull him down, its effort was negligible, this was just Tommy now, going up and up and up. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>He sees white, the walls are white, the furniture is white, he’s dressed in white. Oh, jeez, what did that mean?! Did it mean he’s actually in the afterlife or is that just some kind of cliché? He turns to look around more, and a figure of black and red breaks up the monotonous color. It was… Badboyhalo? And he was sleeping on a couch directly to Tommy’s left. Oh, man, what did <em> that </em>shit mean? Bad was technically a demon right? Does that mean he… Tommy pauses as a sharp pain cuts his head, oh man, he was too tired to think about this all right now. He thought death would be way more simple than this, goddamn it. Still, he fights to stay awake. He guesses that the easiest way to get his answers was,</p><p>“Oi, Badboyhalo!” He half- whispers. Then, he gets a great idea.</p><p>“Hey Dickhead!” Still nothing, but Tommy giggles anyway. </p><p>“Hey, Badboyhalo, you are a bitch! Oh, I am going to say so many swear words until you wake up. Shit! Penis! Um, boob! Oh my gosh, if you can’t see my ghost Badboyhalo, I’m just going to follow you around all day and swear at you, and you will never ‘language’ me again. Then I will tell all of the dead people I find that you love curse words. Then they will also swear at you. And then-”</p><p>“Tommy…” He groans, then, bolting upright so fast Tommy barely saw him move, “TOMMY!”</p><p>“Aw, shit, you’ve ruined my plan.”</p><p>“Language! Oh, my gosh Tommy, I- you have no idea how happy I am to say that to you, seriously.” He gets up, smiling like he’s just won the lottery.</p><p>“I am not happy about it, I was hoping to spend my afterlife swearing at you.”</p><p>“Afterlife? What- ohmygosh, the quartz, that makes sense I guess. No, Tommy! You didn’t die! You lived! You’re okay!” Bad is saying that like it's the shiniest gift on Christmas morning, but Tommy takes it like he was hit with a weakness pot.</p><p>“I… lived?” </p><p>“Yeah, yeah! I- it was touch and go for a bit, but I never left your side, Tommy. Ask anyone. I- we all were really worried.” Bad says, trying to put a supportive hand on Tommy’s shoulder, but he jerked away.</p><p>“Oh! Sorry, that must hurt, right? Tell me if you feel any pain and I can help. You- Dream got you before you-” He stops abruptly to take a steadying breath, “before you went fully under. The worst burns are mostly on your left leg, but they go up your left side some, too.” </p><p>Tommy listens in silence. He does not visually react, but inside, he <em> seethes </em> . All he wanted, <em> all he ever wanted </em>was for that green bastard to leave him alone. But no, he just couldn’t let Tommy’s pain stop. He was far too selfish.</p><p>“Sorry, again, I must be overwhelming you. I- do you need anything? Pain medicine, do you want to see anyone?”</p><p>“<em> No </em>.” He spits out. Then, realising his anger, he softens his tone. “No, I don’t want to see anyone, Bad. But I’ll take your drugs. I love drugs you know.”</p><p>Bad tsks at him and affectionately says, “they’re not <em> those </em>kinds of drugs you muffin.” </p><p>He presses a few buttons on the contraptions next to his bed, and Tommy feels himself getting weighed down into sleep. Something feels familiar about the sensation, like he remembered himself getting dragged down into nothingness before. If that memory was real, Tommy wonders to himself what stupid decision he must have made to not have let it take him the first time.</p><p> </p><p>He wakes again and thankfully, is much less confused than the first time. Bad comes in, does some shit he doesn't care about to his legs, pokes and prods him a bit more, then gives him a potion to drink. He chokes it down, then, absolutely wonderfully, Bad offers him <em> food. </em> As he- against Bad's recommendation- wolfs it down, he gets asked.</p><p>"Tommy, I need to ask you some questions." Bad begins. Tommy, only half paying attention, nods.</p><p>"Well, first off, why don’t you just tell me everything you remember."</p><p>Tommy just breathes out a single huff of a laugh. </p><p>"You already know what happened, I fell-"</p><p>"You jumped, Tommy."</p><p>Tommy awkwardly clears his throat, "Yeah, right, I jumped. Then Dream pulled me out. Then I woke up in your house. Nothing much else to say, is there?"</p><p>"I…" Bad just looks concerned at him. </p><p>"Tommy, I also found some… stuff I don't understand. Can you just maybe help explain it to me?"</p><p>He shrugs again, "sure, I guess."</p><p>"Well, uh, firstly, your knuckles were really torn up." </p><p>"Have you not met me before, Badboyhalo? Is this our first time meeting? I like to punch shit. It's my thing."</p><p>"Okay, okay. I also saw a bunch of weird injuries on you that <em> weren't </em>burns. They- it kinda looked like-"</p><p>"Bad we live in a world where monsters come out to kill you every night, and I am homeless." </p><p>"Tommy, they looked like y-"</p><p>"Zombies can get swords, you know? It's very common. I don't know if you'd know that, being <em> not </em>homeless and whatnot."</p><p>"Fine, fine, okay!" He surrenders, "You were also extremely dehydrated and malnourished. Tommy, when was the last time you <em> ate </em>?"</p><p>Oh. Tommy doesn't have a response to that. He panics, grappling for whatever his head can-</p><p>"I was. Very busy, Bad." Fuck. That sucked.</p><p>"<em>Busy? </em>" Bad counters, incredulous. </p><p>"Yes. Very very busy." </p><p>"Too busy to eat or drink for, what, days? More? And then what were you punching that messed up your hand so bad that <em> wasn't </em>food? And how were you fighting mobs when you were basically starvi-"</p><p>"<em>SHUT UP, BAD! </em> " He snaps, Tommy does <em> not </em>like this line of questioning, and his anger flares up to try and hide shame.</p><p>"Tommy-"</p><p>"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME OUT THERE TO DIE AND THEN ACT SURPRISED WHEN I DO!"</p><p>"TOMMY!" Bad cries, shocked, "No one wanted you to die!"</p><p>"OOOOOH RIGHT, OF FUCKING COURSE YOU DIDN'T, MY MISTAKE. YOU ALL LEFT ME OUT THERE TO BE <em> DREAM'S </em> FUCKING <em> TOY. </em> ' <em> A BUG ON HIS WALL', WAS IT? </em>" Tommy's firey energy burns out as quickly as he remembers, and tears soon quickly threaten to take the rage’s place. He buries his head into his knees and chokes out,</p><p>"<em>Why couldn't he have let me die. That's all I wanted.</em>"</p><p>"Tom-"</p><p>"Please leave me alone, Badboyhalo. I don't want to talk anymore."</p><p>Bad slowly rises, and gives him his wish.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me: I'm literally just posting this oneshot, its really nbd, just getting it out of my system its not going to be anything big</p><p>me, thousands of words in: look i- i can explain</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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